Sunflower Becoming an Increasingly Popular Field Crop in Pomoravlje - Yields Exceed 3.5 Tons per Hectare

More and more farmers in Pomoravlje are opting to grow sunflower instead of wheat and corn, the traditional field crops of the region.

Long summers with little rainfall favor sunflower, so farmers who cooperate with scientific institutes and apply modern agricultural techniques expect yields of more than three and a half tons per hectare.

The fields around villages in the municipalities of Jagodina and Despotovac are turning yellow. Sunflower is also occupying increasingly large areas on the farm of Radisa Radisavljevic, a record-holder in agricultural production.

He was among the first to opt for sunflower, which at the time was a rare crop among farmers in Pomoravlje.

- In 2010, we organized our first Field Days, with experimental plots where we showed farmers how certain hybrids respond to this type of soil. Crop rotation is respected here, so we automatically avoid diseases, weeds are easier to control, and sunflower is an ideal preceding crop for wheat - Radisa points out.

Sunflowers inspired Vincent van Gogh to paint one of his most famous works, and over the past decade this oilseed crop has also inspired farmers in Pomoravlje, with an increasing amount of local farmland being devoted to it.

Vidan Stanisavljevic notes that the climate has changed and that sunflower tolerates drought better than corn.

- This year looks good to us, everything started well and so far we have had satisfactory rainfall. If we get some more rain, it would contribute to even better grain filling - Vidan says.

Experts say that sunflower is an adaptable crop that benefits from evenly distributed rainfall, while also tolerating drought better than corn.

- We advise farmers to sow sunflower because sunflower is a powerful plant that draws water from deeper soil layers due to its physiology. It can extract even the last remaining amounts of moisture and minerals, making it suitable for our conditions - explains Milanka Miladinovic, a field crop adviser.

Sunflower fields in Pomoravlje are difficult for bees to produce honey from, but they provide excellent pollen forage for beekeeping, and since the fields often border cornfields, this provides bees with additional sources of pollen.

Pomoravlje

Radisa Radisavljevic

Vidan Stanisavljevic

Milanka Miladinovic

sunflower